Subchapter 1. Firearms Purchaser Identification Card and Permit to Purchase a Handgun
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SUBCHAPTER 1. FIREARMS PURCHASER IDENTIFICATION CARD AND PERMIT TO PURCHASE A HANDGUN N.J.A.C. 13:54-1.1 Firearms purchaser identification cards and permits to purchase handguns This subchapter prescribes the requirements and procedures for the issuance of firearms purchaser identification cards, permits to purchase handguns and the general rules for holders of such permits and identification cards. N.J.A.C. 13:54-1.2 Definitions The words and terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings: "Ammunition" means various projectiles, including bullets, missiles, slugs or balls together with fuses, propelling charges and primers that may be fired, ejected, projected, released, or emitted from firearms or weapons. "Antique cannon" means any weapon which satisfies the definition of an antique firearm and which is also capable of firing a projectile of a caliber greater than .60 caliber, except a shotgun or shotgun ammunition generally recognized as suitable for sporting purposes. "Antique firearm" means any firearm, which is incapable of being fired or discharged, or which does not fire fixed ammunition regardless of the date of manufacture, or was manufactured before 1898, for which cartridge ammunition is not commercially available, and is possessed as a curiosity or ornament or for its historical significance or value. "Assault firearms" means: 1. Any of the following firearms: Algimec AGM1 type Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder such as the "Street Sweeper" or "Striker 12" Armalite AR-180 type Australian Automatic Arms SAR Avtomat Kalashnikov type semi-automatic firearms Beretta AR-70 and BM59 semi-automatic firearms Bushmaster Assault Rifle Calico M-900 Assault carbine and M-900 CETME G3 Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88 type Colt AR-15 and CAR-15 series Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max 1 and Max 2, AR 100 types Demro TAC-1 carbine type Encom MP-9 and MP-45 carbine types FAMAS MAS223 types FN-FAL, FN-LAR, or FN-FNC type semi-automatic firearms Franchi SPAS 12 and LAW 12 shotguns G3SA type Galil type Heckler and Koch HK91, HK93, HK94, MP5, PSG-1 Intratec TEC 9 and 22 semi-automatic firearms M1 carbine type M14S type MAC 10, MAC 11, MAC 11-9 mm carbine type firearms PJK M-68 carbine type Plainfield Machine Company Carbine Ruger K-Mini-14/5 F and Mini-14/5 RF SIG AMT, SIG 550SP, SIG 551SP, SIG PE-57 types SKS with detachable magazine type Spectre Auto carbine type Springfield Armory BM59 and SAR-48 type Sterling MK-6, MK-7 and SAR types Steyr A.U.G. semi-automatic firearms USAS 12 semi-automatic type shotgun Uzi type semi-automatic firearms Valmet M62, M71S, M76, or M78 type semi-automatic firearms Weaver Arm Nighthawk; 2. Any firearm manufactured under any designation, which is substantially identical to any of the firearms listed in paragraph 1 above. As used in this definition, the term "substantial" means pertaining to the substance, matter, material or essence of a thing and the term "identical" means exactly the same. Hence, a firearm is substantially identical to another only if it is identical in all material, essential respects. A firearm is not substantially identical to a listed assault firearm unless it is identical except for differences that do not alter the essential nature of the firearm. The following are examples of manufacturer changes that do not alter the essential nature of the firearm: the name or designation of the firearm; the color of the firearm; the material used to make the barrel or stock of the firearm; the material used to make a pistol grip; and a modification of a pistol grip. This is not an exclusive list. A semi-automatic firearm should be considered to be "substantially identical," that is, identical in all material respects, to a named assault weapon if it meets the below listed criteria: i. A semi-automatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of the following: (1) A folding or telescoping stock; (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; (3) A bayonet mount; (4) A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and (5) A grenade launcher; ii. A semi-automatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least two of the following: (1) An ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip; (2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer; (3) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned; (4) Manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; and/or (5) A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm; and iii. A semi-automatic shotgun that has at least two of the following: (1) A folding or telescoping stock; (2) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; (3) A fixed magazine capacity in excess of six rounds; and/or (4) An ability to accept a detachable magazine; 3. A semi-automatic shotgun with either a magazine capacity exceeding six rounds, a folding stock or a pistol grip; 4. A semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine capacity exceeding 15 rounds; or 5. A part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault firearm, or any combination of parts from which an assault firearm may be readily assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person. The following are not considered assault firearms within the meaning of this definition: 1. The Colt Match Target rifle, based on the manufacturer's specifications, is not part of the AR-15 series, and, thus, is not prohibited under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1w(1). Although this rifle may resemble the Colt AR-15, there have been substantial changes to the firearm, including the receiver, which is not identical to an AR-15 receiver. In addition, because of changes in the configuration of the firearm, the Colt Match Target rifle is not substantially identical to a firearm prohibited under this classification. 2. The Springfield M1A rifle is not one of the enumerated firearms which are specifically prohibited under the State assault firearms laws. It has been prohibited in this State as being substantially identical to a named firearm. However, according to the manufacturer's specifications, the M1A has been modified. The modified M1A, which became available in 1994, is not considered to be substantially identical to a prohibited firearm under N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1w(2) and these rules. However, earlier versions of the M1A, which contain at least two of the criteria identified in the Attorney General's Guidelines Regarding the "Substantially Identical" Provision in the State's Assault Firearms Laws dated August 19, 1996 and reproduced in paragraph 2 above, are considered to be substantially identical to a prohibited firearm and continue to be defined as an assault firearm. "Body armor penetrating bullets" means bullet(s) designed for use in a handgun and whose core or jacket, if the jacket is thicker than .025 of an inch, is of tungsten carbide or hard bronze or is made of other material, which is harder than a rating of 72 or greater on the Rockwell B. Hardness Scale and is capable of breaching or penetrating body armor. "Chief of police" or "chief police officer" means the highest ranking sworn member of a municipal police department. "Firearm or firearms" means any handgun, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, automatic or semi-automatic rifle, or any gun, device or instrument in the nature of a weapon from which may be fired or ejected any solid projectable ball, slug, pellet, missile or bullet, or any gas, vapor or other noxious thing, by means of a cartridge or shell or by the action of an explosive or the igniting of flammable or explosive substances. It shall also include, without limitation, any firearm, which is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol or other weapon of a similar nature in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, or is ignited by compressed air, and ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter, with sufficient force to injure a person. "Firearms Purchaser Identification Card number" means the number assigned by the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) pursuant to a fingerprint check of an applicant's fingerprints, for the issuance of a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card, as reported by the SBI to the investigating authority. The Firearms Purchaser Identification Card number shall be synonymous with SBI number. "Gunsmith" means a person who is in the business of repairing or servicing firearms. "Handgun" means any pistol, revolver, or other firearm originally designed or manufactured to be fired by the use of a single hand. "Large capacity ammunition magazine" means a box, drum, tube or other container, which is capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously and directly therefrom into a semi-automatic firearm. A large capacity ammunition magazine that has been permanently altered so that it is not capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition will cease to be defined as a "large capacity ammunition magazine." An ammunition magazine, which has been temporarily blocked or modified from holding more than 15 rounds, as by a piece of wood or a pin, is still considered to be a "large capacity ammunition magazine." "Machine gun" means any firearm, mechanism or instrument not requiring that the trigger be pressed for each shot and having a reservoir, belt or other means of storing and carrying ammunition which can be loaded into the firearm, mechanism or instrument and fired therefrom.